Canopy-top



(No Model.)

GA OY Patented July 21,, 1891.

. 4% finom UNITED STATES GEORGE \V. SCOTT, OF TROY, OHIO,

- PATENT OFFICE.

CANOPY-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters I Eatent No. 456,384, dated July 21, 1891. Application filed February l6 1391. Serial No, 381,648. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. Soon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canopy-Tops; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to'the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents an under side plan view of a canopy-top for vehicles constructed in accordance with my in- I 5 vention; Fig. 2, a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale, to more clearly illustrate my invention.

The present invention has relation to the construction of vehicle canopy-tops, and re- 2:: fers more particularly to that class wherein is provided means for holding the curtains thereto without the necessity of the employment of the usual metal fastenings.

The object of the invention, therefore, is to provide means whereby the canopy-top may be adapted to the thickness of the various materials from which the curtains are made, also the corded edge thereof, which would vary in thickness according to the quality of material used, so that the means employed for holding the curtain could be adapted to different materials after the canopy-top had been finished and without altering the top or injury thereto.

The above object I attain by the construction substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A B represent the side sills, and C D the end sills, which together constitute the frame of the canopy top, which is provided with the usual braces or supports a b for the canvas or other covering E, secured in place by the molding H, which may be either ornamental or plain, as found preferable.

The canopy-top above described, being of common construction, forms no part of the invention, and therefore may be variously modified, as circumstances require, Without 5o departing in the least from the principle of the invention.

The essential feature of the invention therefore lies in the molding F, and only when ex-' tending down below the sills of the canopyframe with its groove below the plane thereof, and the confining-strip G, connected to the under side of the canopy-frame.

It is the purpose of the invention to enable the space between the molding and strip above described to be increased or diminished in width after the canopy-frame has been completed and finished, so as to adapt the space to the material from which the curtain is made. For example, if leather is used, it being much heavier and thicker than rubber, 6 the corded edge of the curtain would require a much wider space between the molding and confining-strip. Now in order to admit of this change in the size of the space for the purpose above indicated, it is necessary to have the molding F of sufficientwidth, so that when connected to the sills of the canopy-fr'ame it will extend down below the same and thus enable the groove 0 in the molding to come on line below the sills constituting the canopy-frame, or, in other Words, below the plane thereof, as shown in Fig. 2.

By the abovedescribed location of the groove in the molding, a confining-strip G is enabled to be used as a means for increasing or diminishing the space between the two, and this strip is secured by nails, screws, or other preferred and well-known means to the under side of the sills, and by changing its position with relation to the grooved portion of the molding, either to or from the same, the space between the confining-strip and molding is decreased or increased, respectively, thus adapting the space to the thickness'of the corded edge of the curtain Without in any manner altering the canopy-top or injuring it after the top has been finished. To further illustrate the advantage in having the groove in the molding F on a plane below that of the canopy-frame and the con- 5 fining-strip connected to, the under side of said frame as a means of regulating the space between the strip and molding, should an order be given for a large number of vehicles with canopy-tops, some of them to have leather and some rubber curtains, the tops could be finished and completed, after which the con- IOO- fining-strip G could be set the desired distance from the grooved face of the molding F to accommodate the space between it and the strip to the material of the curtain and atterward the strip secured in place to the under side of the frame without marring or in the least injuring the top. The molding I if desired, may be beveled, as shown at (Z, for the purpose of improving its appearance. The curtain, as represented at I, is in the usual manner turned over a cord 0, and the edge of the curtain hemmed or otherwise secured in place, the curtain being inserted in the space between the molding and confiningstrip from the end thereof, and in like manner withdrawn.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Acanopy-top having a grooved molding connected thereto, the grooved portion thereof extending on a plane below that of the canopy-top frame, and a confining-strip connected to the under side of said frame opposite to the groove in the molding, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

A. G. STOUDER, W. 0. PERRY. 

